Though this may be a simple concept, it is that of a mysterious and enlightening one. Hidden transcripts are "the other side of the story", that we usually do not get to read about or hear. The text defines them as "themes and arguments that are well known by members of the oppressed group but kept out of the public eye for fear of reprisal from those in power" (Eisenberg 68). In my elementary school history classes, we learned that the world was governed by powerful white men (true), and that they were civil, fair, and loyal (not always true). It wasn't until high school that we learned about Christopher Columbus and his men doing horrible things to the natives in the land the traveled to, etc. And while we know facts about Harriet Tubman, MLK Jr, and Rosa Parks, we usually do not hear many stories about members of an oppressed party in history. Even in history members of an oppressed party kept their dialogue mostly silent due to the dominant group's strength. It is interesting to think how society and communication may've been different had this concept been brought to light during the time it happened. Another term that accompanies hidden transcripts is resistance to domination. Last semester in Music 120 (Worlds of Jazz), we learned that slaves used singing as a form of inner freedom and expression during their difficult times. These musical ideas were a form of resistance to domination. They used their music to "lessen the constraints placed on them by those in power" (Eisenberg 68).
It is interesting to see patterns between organizational communication and history, especially when I think of the Holocaust and the Civil War.
Have a great night! :)
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I completely relate to your experience. In elementary school, I only learned about the “positive” aspects of colonization from the white man’s perspective. Personally, it was not until college when I truly learned about the hidden histories of our nation. Unfortunately, predominately, we do not get to hear the other side of the story until we search for it. For instance, it was until I saw a documentary in my social change class that I learned about Bayard Ruston. He was a member of the civil rights movement and worked side by side with Martin Luther King until opponents of the civil rights movement threatened to uncover Bayard’s homosexuality, and even threatened to state that he and King were involved in an affair. Thus, because Bayard believed that in order to save the civil rights movement he had to resign, he did, however in doing so; he hoped King would not accept his resignation. Unfortunately, King did. Although he did not want to do so, King feared that Bayard’s association to the civil rights movement would have a negative affect on movement. I do not believe that King did what he did with malicious intentions, however, I do believe that he was pushed into doing what he did out of fear of completely losing hope to gain equality for African Americans. What saddens me is that due to the stigma attached to Ruston’s sexuality, his contributions are not well known. Therefore, it is pertinent for us to look into all the sides of a story in order for us to gain a better understanding of the whole picture.
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